Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in healthcare and pledged continued collaboration with development partners to enhance the sector.
Dr Mwinyi made the assurance yesterday during the launch of a week-long free specialist medical camp, designed to provide advanced healthcare services to citizens.
The initiative is part of wider efforts to reduce medical referrals abroad and honour the legacy of the late former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.
The event, held at Mangapwani, brought together medical experts from Kenya, the United States, and Zanzibar to offer lifesaving treatment while building local healthcare capacity.
Describing the initiative as a testament to international solidarity, Dr Mwinyi underscored the government’s strong commitment to working with partners to deliver quality health services.
“These camps not only honour the legacy of our beloved former leader but also provide a unique opportunity for our local health workers to learn and gain valuable experience from international doctors,” he said.
He praised ‘The Late Ali Hassan Mwinyi Free Medical Camp’, organised in partnership with the Ministry of Health, and urged citizens to take full advantage of the free screenings and treatment offered.
Over the past five years, the government has made significant progress in improving the health sector, including upgrading infrastructure, increasing the number of health professionals, enhancing their welfare, boosting medical supplies and equipment, and implementing digital health record systems.
A key achievement is the establishment of the Zanzibar Health Services Fund (ZHSF), which has enabled thousands of citizens particularly workersto access healthcare services from both public and private facilities across the islands.
Zanzibar’s Minister for Health, Mr Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, said the ongoing medical camps have greatly reduced the need to refer patients abroad, while also upgrading the skills of local healthcare providers.
Under the Eighth Phase Government, the ministry has intensified efforts to strengthen healthcare services, focusing particularly on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which remain the leading cause of preventable disability and death.
The minister highlighted major ongoing projects including the construction of four regional hospitals in Unguja and Pemba, the expansion and renovation of Mnazimmoja Hospital, and the development of new referral and teaching hospitals in Binguni.
Other planned projects include a specialised cancer treatment centre, a mental health hospital in Pandani (Pemba), and a dedicated maternal and child health hospital.
He commended the government’s commitment to health sector reforms and vowed to ensure the delivery of high-quality, sustainable services.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Mngereza Mzee Miraji, acknowledged persistent challenges, especially the shortage of specialist doctors and infrastructure required to manage certain NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and orthopaedic conditions. These gaps have necessitated continued referrals abroad.
However, the government is addressing these issues by investing in specialist training and increasing both local and international medical outreach camps.
“In the first half of 2025 alone, the ministry, together with partners, organised 25 medical camps led by local and international experts, including teams from Saudi Arabia,” Dr Mngereza said.
He revealed that between January and June 2025, 10,380 citizens received medical care through mobile clinics deployed across the islands.
The current seven-day medical camp is providing specialised treatment in cardiology, orthopaedics, dermatology, internal medicine, urology, and general surgery, with procedures taking place at Pangatupu District Hospital.
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